Bill signed to address Guilderland tax shock

Will allow granular look at values

Guilderland residents who pay Voorheesville school taxes had a shock last year due to a revaluation that sharply increased some of their bills

Guilderland residents who pay Voorheesville school taxes had a shock last year due to a revaluation that sharply increased some of their bills

Photo: Times Union

Photo: Times Union

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Guilderland residents who pay Voorheesville school taxes had a shock last year due to a revaluation that sharply increased some of their bills

Guilderland residents who pay Voorheesville school taxes had a shock last year due to a revaluation that sharply increased some of their bills

Photo: Times Union

Bill signed to address Guilderland tax shock

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GUILDERLAND - Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation that will allow a second look at the sky-high tax bills handed to a group of Guilderland residents after the equalization rate, or index of home values and tax burden, was changed.

While the legislation, sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy and Republican Sen. George Amedore, won’t lower this year’s school taxes, which in some instances jumped more than $1,000, they should provide relief going forward.

The problem was centered on the Weatherfield neighborhood. It is in the town of Guilderland but the Voorheesville school district. The area in question is along Route 155 near the Albany Country Club and runs out toward an industrial park closer to the town center.

The state Office of Real Property Tax Services periodically adjusts the equalization rates around the state in order to keep the tax burdens equal in different communities, especially in towns where the prices haven’t been revalued in a while.

That’s what happened last year in Guilderland, with the result that Weatherfield residents were hit with a higher share of their school taxes. Residents, though, questioned the way the equalization was done because a limited number of properties were looked at.

The legislation will allow the area that was hit to undergo a segmented equalization, which will provide a granular, and hopefully more accurate look at the property values. That could result in a lowering of the taxes for the new school year.

The bill package calls for more notification of big equalization changes. Local leaders of schools and municipalities will get notice when there is a difference of more than 5 percent between an existing and the state’s new equalization rate.

Equalization rates going forward will also have to be certified by the state at least 30 days before taxes are levied. That will give communities time to prepare and possibly ameliorate some big tax jumps in certain neighborhoods, perhaps by tapping reserve funds.